Drive will read commercial and burned CD's, will read and write various CD-RW media, but has a definite problem recognizing blank CD-R's.

Under a clean install of WinXP SP1 (with IMAPI service disabled) that Nero Vision Express(supplied with the drive) does not recognize various blank CD-R media (however, ever so often it will).

Under Win2000 SP3, same problem with various programs (Discjuggler, Nero 5.5.10.x, CD-Mate, Fireburner, VCD-Easy, etc). Every so often it will recognize the blank media, and will burn the cd as expected.

Cendyne is non-responsive as is Accesstek. I understand that I should expect no help from them.

I understand that I should replace the drive with a Lite-ON, etc. However, I am stuck with this drive by my own stupdity, and wonder what I might do in any case.

1. Is there utility to force the drive to reread the inserted media without ejecting the drive. The idea is to have it reread the media say 100 times to get it to burn once (don't laugh please).

2. Anyone know of a list of acceptable media for this unit? I've read the posts on media here at CDRLabs and found it sketchy.

3. Is anyone using this drive successfuly? If so, what OS, what media, etc.

Not too bad actually. I haven't tried TY media (far too cheap for that!!! I bought some Mitsui and some Ricoh media when it was going cheap, and that's me lot lol) but the rest of it is pretty good. Some 16x media doesn't write well at 48x but shucks.....lmao.

I fogot to ask - how can I force the CD-R burner to reread the media ejecting. Using a scan using Nero Info will read once will cause the drive light to go on and spin up the media. Subsequent refreshes retrieve the same information without triggering a drive light on the burner? I have to eject to get it to refresh.

I have the same burner but I have the one marketed by Verbatim (but is the same components as the Cendyne 48x16x48x), and it has never given me a single problem. I've used, imation, maxell, memorex and fuji media with it. Always a successful burn and never a fuss. I think you might have a faulty drive.

It's true that the CW4802 can burn a variety of discs at their rated speed or higher. Just look at the Optorite CW4802 results in the Media Compatability Thread for a list of media that will work successfully in the drive. If neither of these discs work, then the problem is either your computer or you have a bad drive (as bluecrayola pointed out).